Imperialism's Original Sin: The Missionary Roots of Nationalism in China

• In Event: Historical Legacies for Anti-Immigrant Attitudes, Warfare and Nationalism

Abstract

What explains the emergence of nationalism? Existing theory emphasizes the role of war in weakening dynastic states and allowing for the emergence of nationalism. In this paper, by contrast, we trace the emergence of nationalism not to war but to missionary activity. We focus on China, an important case in the literature. We argue missionary activity at the end of the 19th century threatened the political power of traditional elites, who responded by spreading nationalist ideologies as a way to mobilize violent attacks against missionaries. To test our hypothesis, we gather new data on secretive networks of nationalist revolutionaries, on missionary activity, and on anti-missionary violence. We find a strong relationship between missionary activity and the creation of nationalist cells in China. Qualitative case studies drawing on original archival evidence lend support to a causal interpretation. These findings suggest the relationship between imperialism and the rise of nationalism may be driven by missionaries, not war.

Author

• Daniel Mattingly, Yale University